Ophthalmology

The department of Ophthalmology at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) offers comprehensive eye care for residents in the catchment area of the North Metropolitan Health Service in the Greater Perth region.

We offer the following services:

  • 24-hour management of acute eye emergencies
  • GP & optometrists referral centre for other eye conditions
  • Ophthalmic surgery at SCGH & Osborne Park Hospital
  • Training & education of fellows, registrars and medical students

The department of Ophthalmology at SCGH has now grown to 10 consultants, covering all sub-specialties of ophthalmology including cataracts, cornea, glaucoma, medical and surgical retina, orbit and oculoplastics, uveitis, neuro-ophthalmology and strabismus.  We run daily emergency eye clinics and sub-specialty clinics. The department is well supported by an anterior segment fellow, a vitreo-retinal fellow, an ophthalmic assessor, 2 training registrars, 1 service registrar, 1 resident medical officer and 2 optometrists.

The out-patients department is now fully equipped with the the latest equipment for diagnostic and treatment purposes. The department is now equipped with:

  • Haag Streit® Slit lamps with digital imaging
  • Telemedicine capability
  • Heidelberg Spectralis® OCT 2 with FA (fluorescein angiography), ICG (Indocyanine green) angiography and OCT angiography
  • Zeiss Cirrus OCT
  • Optos ultra-wide field imaging with autofluorescence and FA capability
  • Ellex B-Scan ultrasonography and UBM
  • Argon retinal laser – slit lamp and indirect ophthalmoscope mounted
  • YAG and SLT laser
  • Humphrey visual field machines
  • IOL Master and Lenstar
  • iTrace ray-tracing aberrometer
  • Corneal topography with Pentacam and Atlas topographer
  • Auto-refractor and lensometer

Eye surgery is offered at Sir Charles Gairdner hospital and Osborne Park hospital. Both theatres sites are equipped with the latest microscopes, cataract and vitrectomy systems. At Osborne Park, we offer mainly cataract and glaucoma surgeries on a day-case only basis. More complex surgery and those requiring admission are performed at SCGH, in addition to routine cases. The department at SCGH is equipped with the Stellaris Elite ® phacoemulsification system, Alcon Constellation vitrectomy system and the latest micro-instruments to aid in complex surgery. The department is a centre for excellence for complex cataract surgery, orbital surgery and vitreo-retinal surgery, with an excellent emergency retinal service for treatment of retinal detachments and trauma.

Ophthalmology Team

 

Consultant Subspecialty
Professor Graham Barrett Cornea, complex cataracts

Professor Graham Barrett

Cornea, complex cataracts

Dr Chandra Balaratnasingam

Medical and surgical retinas
Complex cataracts

Dr Antony Clark

Glaucoma

Professor Ian Constable

Medical and surgical retinas

Dr Tom Cunneen

Cornea and Oculoplastic

Professor Adam Gajdatsy

Orbit and Oculoplastic

Dr Charlotte McKnight

Cornea and Oculoplastic

Dr Vignesh Raja (Head of Department)

Medical and surgical retinas
Complex cataracts

Dr Jane Lock

Neuro-ophthalmology and strabismus

Dr Xia Ni Wu

Uveitis
Inflammatory disease of the eye

Information for referring practitioners

Urgent ophthalmology outpatient referrals:

Please call main switchboard at SCGH on (08) 6457 3333 and ask to be put through to the on-call registrar.

Routine ophthalmology referrals:

The department of Ophthalmology kindly requests that GP’s consider directing patients to see an optometrist, if they haven’t done so already. If a referral is still required, please kindly include a copy of the optometrists report along with the referral.

Routine referrals from GP's will need to be sent via:

The Central Referral Service
GPO Box 3462
Midland WA 6056

Or fax: 1300 365 056

Referrals from Optometrists will need to be sent via:

Email: SCGH.CentralOutpatientAppointingMailbox@health.wa.gov.au

Or fax: (08) 6457 4146

Last Updated: 12/12/2022